Crocodile Obsession

I loved Jeff Corwin minus the nasty dinosaurs he fought with in the water and on land.  Their scaly skin, their monstrous claws and their powerful tails really freak me out. How on earth did he win battles against crocodiles that weighed over a ton? Since his show on Animal Planet, I have been anti Crocs.  Just hearing the word gives me the hebegebees.

When Crocs launched their footwear line I immediately exed them out. The name of the company was almost as bad as the horrendous clogs that made them famous. I swore when they first came out that I would NEVER put those crocodiles on my feet. Welllll....times have changed and medical conditions have arose....and Crocs have been a lifesaver!!

I had a very difficult time finding a gladiator type flat that was both cute and comfortable. Most stylish flats have zero cushion, arch support, and stability. So when I saw a cute gladiator style Croc, I broke my no Croc rule and tried it on. This shoe has it all!!  It has the same appearance as other gladiator shoes, but has the bonus of being extremely comfortable.  It is flat but provides plenty of cushion throughout the entire shoe. The circulation nubs along the footbed prevent your foot from sliding around which is a problem with most other flats (non Crocs).  Off your foot it looks like a simple shoe, but once you put it on the cute factor rises! I have a lot of joint pain, but this shoe takes the pain away! It has given me some of my freedom back.  I can now go shopping, go downtown or simply walk around my house for a much longer time without pain. 

I have both the black and bronze pair and wear them almost every day! I could not be more happy with my purchase!
Crocs Black / Black Sexi Flip Women's Comfortable Sandals

The Hover Slip-On Canvas shoe is another very comfortable and adorable shoe.  It has a casual sporty look but provides all the comfort a woman would need in a shoe.  It is light weight and allowed me to be on my feet for a much longer time period.
Crocs True Red / Oyster Women's Hover Slip-On Canvas Women's Comfortable Sneakers

I'm really happy Crocs have expanded their collection from their the traditional clog to many styles of sandals, heels, wedges, mary janes, boots, etc., etc.  Their super styles appeal to all ages!

I hope this gives you an excuse to buy another pair of shoes :) 

Silence

If you can, take a few moments to sit silently in peace. Simply sit in a chair and breathe in... then breathe out. Feel each breath and how the air moves through your body. Do this several times, solely focusing only on your breath. When you feel more grounded to your being, start to listen to all the noises in the environment. All the beautiful birds and their distinguished callings for one another, the squirrels squawking at each other or a big truck hauling down the road. Tuning into the sense of hearing helps ground you even more. Just sit and observe your body and the sounds for 5, 10, or 30 minutes, however long our body desires that attention. When you are ready open your eyes slowly. Not only will your body feel lighter, less pressure, and constraint, but your eyes will appreciate something simple as a little bird that is before you.

The past two days I have had the privilege of watching these two little guys (see picture below) learn who they are. They fell out of their nest one at a time. For several hours they just sat in one spot observing what was around them. Slowly they grew in size and I figured out they were puffing out their wings, getting ready for flight. After sitting there for three hours, they took their first giant hop. They bounced around several times then then all of a sudden took a long pause, just sitting there. They looked worn out, but suddenly their wings slowly expanded and were shaking. Then came a hop followed by a wing expansion. You couldn't help but smile. Watching them trying to put each piece together was so amazing.  Their determination was inspiring. These little guys were trying so hard to conquer the world and not let IT swallow them whole. Every species has their own struggles, but with some determination and patience we will all CONQUER.

With an illness we become self absorbed in our pain and symptoms. We are solely living each day only seeing and feeling our own body, that we miss out on so many small beautiful things that are around us. By taking a few moments out of each day to do the meditation above, it will help open your eyes to this world we live in. It is silly that there are so many beautiful things around us and we pass by them all the time.

This exercise will only help you become more at peace in your own body which will eventually reduce some of the pain.

 

Quote of the Day: Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.- Buddha

Lost in Translation

So I have not written in while because I have been doing a lot of self reflecting. A tragedy happened with a close friend of mine and it has been a reminder of how short life truly can be. It is just too short to have "bad days" or consume everyday with all of lives stressors. Something terrible could happen at any time so we should focus on truly living and enjoying every minute of this one life that has been given to us.

I undoubtedly believe that we all have a purpose in this life.  My friends was to spread happiness, make others smile and share his carefree spirit.  He was so good at making you forget about your "problem of that moment" and helping you slip away to a blissful state of happiness.

Sometimes you may not know what your meaning on this earth is, but do not worry, you will discover it.  And once you do, take off with it.  Do not hold back by any means. Run with this passion and your heart will only be filled with love in return. You may have social connections to really educate people about your disorder or you may be a very positive person by nature and would be an excellent spokesperson to spread hope to others. Whatever it maybe, embrace it.  Decide what your "life's mantra" is going to be. It can be anything that your heart desires.

Peace&Love.

Quote of the day: "Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." -Howard Thurman